Le Coq Sportif
Members-Only Limited Editions Campaign
"My Love Story" Print ad campaign
Photographer: Ekaterina Pokrovsky
F: "Dimanche matin. Balcon de Béatrice. J'entend votre cadence du bout de la rue."
E: "Sunday morning. Béatrice's Balcony. I can hear your steps from the bottom of the street."
Challenge
Le Coq Sportif was interested in developing the market presence of its classic running shoe collection, which is neither endorsed by high profile athletes, nor seen by the buying public as high-performance apparel.
Le Coq Sportif was interested in developing the market presence of its classic running shoe collection, which is neither endorsed by high profile athletes, nor seen by the buying public as high-performance apparel.
Creative Insight
Instead of the expected national print ad campaign spotlighting sports celebrities or athletic performance, a strategic and creative decision was made to pursue a micro-targeted audience - young women 14-24 - that often purchased their boyfriend's running shoes as gifts for birthdays or anniversaries, as well as for themselves (unisex models). The classical and intrinsically timeless nature of the original Coq Sportif running shoes led to this unique approach.
Execution
The creative direction was designed to generate a romantic and poetic atmosphere, and reach out to the targetted young women through a sentimental and literary lens. A young woman lost in her thoughts, thinking about her boyfriend running around the park, or the hope of catching the eye of a love interest at a friend's gathering. The tone of the copy was deliberately Stendhalian in nature, reinforced by a picturesque slice of life of an attractive 20-something Parisian girl.
Why It Works
The ads take an unexpected direction, instantly setting them apart from competing campaigns featuring action shots of sweaty, muscular athletes. By focusing on real young people, the shoes become not only desirable, but real, implying not only success in sports, but success in love and relationships as well. By reaching this subtle balancing point between emotional and physical achievement, the shoes take on extra dimensions of desirability, thereby increasing their market cache.
A member-only exclusive mobile app was created to allow members to quickly order limited edition sneakers.
F: "Samedi matin. Jardin des Plantes. Le son des feuilles mortes sous vos pas ne m'a jamais autant émue."
E: "Saturday morning. Jardin des Plantes. The sound of the fallen leaves under your steps has never moved me so much."
F: "Samedi matin. Jardin du Luxembourg. C'est décidé, la semaine prochaine je lui parle."
E: "Saturday morning. Jardin du Luxembourg. It's decided, next week I will talk to him."
F: "Vendredi soir. Jardin des Tuileries. S'il vous plait. encore un tour autour du jardin."
E: "Friday night. Jardin des Tuileries. Please, run another lap around the garden."
Several complementary full page ads were also designed to be product-centric, yet still carried the same minimalistic and sentimental creative concept.
F: "Samedi matin, Jardin du Luxembourg. C'est décidé, la semaine prochaine je lui parle."
E: "Saturday morning. Luxembourg Garden. It's decided, next week I will talk to him."
F: "Vendredi soir. Dinner chez Olivier. Je crois qu'il a rougit quand nos pieds se sont touchés."
E: "Friday night. Dinner at Olivier. I think he blushed when our feet touched."
Two complementary ads were written with a masculine voice to reverse the feel of affection: The boyfriend is now wearing the shoes and is affected by her presence.
F: "Mercredi aprés-midi. Aprés l'entrainement. Je cours plus vite quand elle est dans les stands."
E: "Wednesday afternoon. After practice. I run faster when she is sitting in the stands."
Another ad written in the masculine voice: The love interest has finally noticed the girl.
F: "Lundi matin. Café des Cerisiers. Elle est ici tous les lundis. Vient-elle tous les mardis?"
E: "Monday afternoon. Café des Cerisiers. She is here every Monday. Does she come every Tuesday as well?"
